Testing times for the UHD transition - EBU Tech
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
-i
MEDIA TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION ISSUE 41 • SEPTEMBER 2019
Testing times
for the UHD
transition
Plus
• Launching 5G-MAG
• UHD1 truck wins 2019 T&I Award
• High Frame Rate: is it worth it?
and more...
tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019 1
tech.ebu.ch/subscribe
-i
Introducing
5G-MAG
Issue 41 • September 2019
Antonio Arcidiacono
3 Conference videos; EBU @ Director of Technology
IBC2019 & Innovation, EBU
4 Arab CTOs meeting; T&I
I wrote last March in these pages commercial focus. Specific
Award 2019
about our vision for a new kind objectives will include
5 New TC Workplan of media delivery system, where encouraging the development
6 UHD1 truck from tpc the key concept is a cooperative and commercialization of 5G
network coupled with intelligent chipsets and user terminals that
7 IP newsgathering at ORF
receivers. To build this, I wrote, support media use cases; or
8 Technology transfer in we would need to bring together facilitating agreements between
production organizations from across the content/service providers and
9 OTT: the fightback begins media delivery chain – terminal suppliers and service
broadcasters, public and private, distributors. In content
10 Lenses for UHD
universities, telcos and network production, too, there 5G-MAG
12 UHD requirements post- providers, both terrestrial and will aim to foster the necessary
2020 satellite. developments.
13 HFR subjective testing I said then that we at the EBU
were ready to embrace this CONVERGENT NETWORKS
14 Cloud-based VOD delivery
vision that “could raise European It looks certain that services
at ITV industry to the forefront of media based on 5G will initially see the
15 Latest audience data from technology in the world”. We light of day in urban areas, where
MIS have now reached the point the biggest commercial
16 David Wood on 8K where that vision starts to opportunities lie for incumbent
become a reality, with the launch telecoms operators.
17 Partner Profiles: BNE of the 5G Media Action Group However, the media-related
18 VOX Hackathon at VRT (5G-MAG). applications that are of most
19 In the spotlight: Marco interest to broadcasters require
Tinnirello CHICKEN & EGG reliable wide area network
Much has been said about the coverage, i.e. close to 100% of
potential for 5G networks to play the population and 100% of the
Cover story: In this issue of tech-i we put a central role in media delivery in territory.
UHD technology under the microscope future. One of the big challenges, And it’s not just media providers
to assess the state of the overall however, is to ensure that new that require this level of coverage.
ecosystem. UHD lenses are in focus on
5G features such as broadcast Similar requirements come also
pages 10-11; there’s new EBU guidance
on optimal features and formats for PSM capabilities are supported by from the transport sector and
on page 12; and the results of subjective chipsets, network infrastructure PPDR (public protection and
tests on high frame rate on page 13. and user devices. The vendors disaster relief). 5G-MAG will thus
Elsewhere, David Wood looks further
require certainty regarding also foster innovative approaches
ahead to whether 8K will ever make
sense (page 16). Cover photo: Pierre market adoption, which will be to 5G coverage and promote the
Hugues Routhier (see page 10) driven by the existence of new use of the convergent,
services that rely on these new collaborative networks that will
Editor-in-Chief: Antonio Arcidiacono 5G features. be required. An orchestration
Managing Editor: Patrick Wauthier If that’s the chicken, then the specification among the different
Editor: Eoghan O’Sullivan egg is that the service providers network components will be a
tech@ebu.ch will only invest in such new key element.
Design: Louise Tait services if they are sure they can You will hear and read a lot
Printed on FSC certified paper by reach the end users. 5G-MAG more about 5G-MAG in the
Graphius (FSC CO14767)
hopes to foster the simultaneous coming months, not least at its
© European Broadcasting Union
emergence of both the chicken public launch during IBC2019.
All rights reserved. The reproduction
of articles in tech-i is authorized and the egg. The EBU is proud to be driving
only with the written permission of Although liaison with the the creation of this new
the publishers. The responsibility for relevant standards developing association, which will have its
views expressed in tech-i rests solely
organizations is foreseen, own legal identity, funding and
with the authors.
5G-MAG will retain a primarily governance.
2 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019
Conference videos on demand
NETWORK TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR
June 2019 • tech.ebu.ch/nts2019
Robotics, automation and orchestras • Sustainable remote production • Larissa Görner
David Chalmers (BBC) (Grass Valley)
25TH TECHNICAL ASSEMBLY METADATA DEVELOPER NETWORK
June 2019 • tech.ebu.ch/ta2019 June 2019 • tech.ebu.ch/mdn2019
Broadcasting in a world of cellular networks • SubTil Project: an open platform to run
Ulrich Reimers (Technical University microservices with AI • Matthieu Parmentier
Braunschweig) (France Télévisions)
AT THE CONFERENCE
EBU @ IBC2019 • Can public broadcasters stay relevant?
(Friday 13 September, 16:15, The Forum)
VISIT US • Gender equality – a media and business imperative
AT STAND 10.F20 (Saturday 14 September, 16:15, Forum Lounge)
• Technology innovations driving stories and new business
(Monday 16 September, 11:30, Emerald Room)
ON THE STAND
• Tech topics: 5G, AI, OTT platforms, personalization, UHD,
Next Generation Audio
• EBU networking drinks (Monday, 16 September, 17:00)
• Meetups and more…
13-17 SEPTEMBER See tech.ebu.ch/ibc2019 for details
tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019 3
EBU Technical Committee meets with
Arab Members
Just before the 25th EBU
Technical Assembly in Croatia
last June, representatives
of several EBU Members in
Arab countries met with the
EBU Technical Committee.
Eight CTOs and technology
managers from Algeria, Egypt,
Lebanon and Morocco were
present. (The participation
of colleagues from Tunisia,
Jordan and Oman was also
foreseen, but was not possible Broadcasting Union (ASBU), distribution for broadcasters in
for administrative reasons.) Also with which the EBU collaborates, the region.
present were staff members of brings together 27 broadcasters Several areas for future
the EBU Technology & Innovation in the MENA region, 11 of them cooperation were identified. Most
Department, including Director are also EBU Members. The of the the participants remained
Antonio Arcidiacono, and EBU June meeting was a valuable in Cavtat to attend the Technical
Director of Member Relations opportunity for the Technical Assembly, which included a
and Communications Vanessa Committee to gain insights presentation on the digital
O’Connor. into the status of the digital transition in the Arab States.
While the Arab States transition in both production and (See: tech.ebu.ch/ta2019)
Pioneering OB truck wins EBU Technology
& Innovation Award 2019
The EBU Technology & Innovation Award tpc and its clients – including the Swiss public
recognizes technology contributions that “make a broadcasters – to put IP-based production to the
difference and create value” in broadcasting. The test. (Read more about the project on page 6.)
winning project this year was UHD1, a pioneering Now in its fourth year, the award was presented
outside broadcast vehicle developed by tpc, to Detlef Sold, the then outgoing CEO of tpc, at
a subsidiary of the Swiss public service media the Technical Assembly in Croatia on 13 June.
organization SRG SSR. The truck has allowed Accepting the award on behalf of tpc and its many
technology partners, Mr Sold said: “We have built
Detlef Sold with the
an IP lab to help us answer the many questions
EBU Technology &
Innovation Award that come with moving to an all-IP environment,
but going on air with a full-IP truck has been
much more useful. What we have learned from
the engineering and architecture design of UHD1
is being transferred to the design of our new
technology centre in Zurich.”
The OB truck from tpc was one of four
shortlisted projects selected from the 13 entries
received for this year’s T&I Award. The other
shortlisted projects were ORF’s IP-based
multimedia newsgathering vehicles (see page
7); ITV’s cloud-based live-to-VOD platform (see
page 14); and the Greenfield Playout project from
TV2 in Norway, revolutionizing the way content
is handled both in terms of technology and
organizationally. (The TV2 project will be covered
in more detail in the next issue of tech-i.)
For past winners and information on how to
apply: tech.ebu.ch/award
4 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019
Our workplan for the next two
years
A NEW TWO-YEAR WORKPLAN FOR THE EBU TECHNICAL COMMITTEE WAS ENDORSED
AT JUNE’S TECHNICAL ASSEMBLY IN CROATIA. COMMITTEE CHAIR JUDY PARNALL (BBC)
EXPLAINS THE THINKING BEHIND IT.
There is an established rhythm Judy Parnall at the 2019 EBU
to how the Technical Committee Technical Assembly
(TC) operates with regard to
planning its work: elections
for the TC take place at the
Technical Assembly every second
year, while a new workplan is
developed and presented in the
intervening years. This schedule
meant the Workplan 2019-21,
with a streamlined structure and
approach, was presented at the
Technical Assembly in Croatia.
So, what problems were we
trying to solve with this new
approach?
We have sought more
flexibility. The speed of change
is increasing at an almost
unbelievable rate. Take smart
speakers, for example: did any
of us foresee even two years
ago how popular and almost wanted to simplify the workplan, of the TC itself and the existing
ubiquitous they would become? knowing that there are people working groups.
We wanted to make sure that the who want to contribute to our
workplan, even though it covers work, but have been unable FEWER PROGRAMMES
two years, could adapt quickly to to easily identify how best to The number of SPs has been
such changes. engage with us. reduced to five, which will
We were aware that we needed The new workplan was based continue to oversee Project
better communication, both on several inputs, including Groups that carry out defined
between the TC and its Strategic the overarching EBU Together tasks. We have also made
Programmes (SPs), but also strategy, a survey of Members, provision for Communities of
with the wider community of requests from other EBU Practice – to facilitate learning
EBU Members. Furthermore, we committees, and the experience and sharing among Members –
and Collaborative Developments
Structure of the EBU Technical Committee Workplan 2019-21 – see towards a specific product or
tech.ebu.ch/workplan service.
In the interests of transparency,
the workplans of each SP
will be accessible to all EBU
Members, with common tools
used to manage their respective
backlogs (of work items). The
use of remote tools and online
meetings will continue to grow,
recognizing the pressure on
travel budgets throughout the
membership.
I encourage all Members to get
involved with our work so that
we can bring this workplan to life
and really deliver value for public
service media.
tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019 5
IP-based truck moves UHD/HDR into
the fast lane
ANDREAS LATTMANN, CTO
OF SWISS PRODUCTION
COMPANY TPC, WRITES
ABOUT THE NEW
UHD1 TRUCK, WHICH
RECENTLY WON THE
2019 EBU TECHNOLOGY &
INNOVATION AWARD.
When we set about replacing
an existing, very large HD truck,
we knew we wanted to have UHD1 has been on the road
all the capacity, operational since October 2018.
familiarity and production
functionality in our new truck in Switzerland. The summary
– but we wanted it full-IP of the operational crew at tpc
The main
uncompromised UHD HDR (high production gallery. is that UHD1 “is really as stable
dynamic range) too. as SDI, and far more flexible.
Traditional technology was not Basically, we really like it!”
going to allow us to support 24 UHD1 also regularly goes
full 4K UHD cameras, with cross- support 100 gigabit ethernet out to cover the ice hockey
conversion between UHD and links. In turn, this means we do national league and other
HD, SDR and HDR, in the space not have to worry about running sports events. But because it
available. The only way we could out of bandwidth in complex is designed to be flexible, it
fit it into the truck was by using productions, even in 4K UHD. is used for music and cultural
a software-defined architecture, Having the SNPs and other IP events too: operas like Nabucco
with connectivity conforming devices connected to the Arista from Zurich and Idomeneo from
to the SMPTE ST 2110 family of switches allows for sufficient Salzburg; the opening concert
standards. concurrent uncompressed UHD of the Lucerne Festival; and the
links over ST 2110 to support Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in
IP CONNECTIVITY rich live playout operations. It Salzburg.
One of the ways we saved also means that most of the We were designing UHD1 at
space was by putting all the fixed cabling was lightweight the same time as the SMPTE
video processing, including network cables, which makes a ST 2110 standards were being
cross-conversion between the big difference when you need defined, so we needed a patient
various standards, into a device to keep the weight down to and informed technology
called the Selenio Network highway limits. partner to guide us through. We
Processor (SNP), from Imagine UHD1 has been on the road chose Imagine Communications
Communications. Each one of since October 2018, and both because their specialists were so
these, in a 1RU chassis, includes the crews and the clients love closely involved in the standard-
four separate processor blocks, it. Indeed, operationally, it looks setting process that they were
so in a single rack in the truck and feels like the trucks that our constantly informed about what
we could get effectively 176 crews have been operating for we should do. IP connectivity and
reconfigurable video processing years. software appliances solved an
units. otherwise impossible technical
The SNPs also provide a bridge FROM SKIING TO OPERA challenge in UHD1 – to get
between IP connectivity inside UHD1 works in very challenging flexible, agile, uncompromised,
the truck and edge devices environments, and is relied upon uncompressed facilities into a
that still need to use SDI. to provide world-class coverage. truck we could still take on the
These include some of the key Of the many occasions when road. It also gave us invaluable
hardware, like EVS servers and the eyes of the world have been experience in software-defined
Sony cameras. So everything has on the output of UHD1, perhaps architectures, which we will carry
to work with minimal latency. the most dramatic was the over into our new headquarters
On the IP side we used Lauberhorn, the most exciting building and studio centre, which
switches from Arista Networks, of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup we are currently developing in
which include the ability to races, held each year in Wengen Leutschenbach.
6 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019
Reinventing mobile newsgathering
A NEW FLEET OF IP-BASED MULTIMEDIA NEWSGATHERING VEHICLES TOOK TO THE ROAD
IN AUSTRIA IN 2018. ORF’S KARL PETERMICHL EXPLAINS HOW THE PROJECT TOOK SHAPE.
In 2015, Austria’s public service
media organization ORF started
to evaluate replacements for its
fleet of ten mobile units for radio
newsgathering. After consulting
all relevant stakeholders –
journalists, editors, production
teams, and the finance and
technology departments – it was
clear that the design must be
based on IP transport and extend
to video and online journalism.
CHALLENGING REQUIREMENTS
The project to create a new
IP Multimedia Newsgathering The workstations
Vehicle (IPMNG) thus began in are designed to be
ergonomic.
2016, with a focus on allowing
for highly flexible radio, television
and online news reporting in all
possible circumstances. There to be fully IP-based. Based on the workstations would be
was a requirement to keep costs a new IP routing concept by ergonomic and that the vans
down: minimal investment, low SATCOM, it now offers full access would be safe on the road, while
operational and contribution to the private network of ORF, stable in broadcast mode.
costs, and a lean approach to with the possibility of using a Ka- One requested feature was
technical staffing for the vehicles Band IP-SAT dish, LTE, xDSL and the design of a “Stage Box”
too. WLAN in a transparent way to to extend the audio and video
Further requirements were the user via Viprinet and VPN. inputs over 150 metres. As there
to have a maximum weight A mobile IP camera backpack was no such product on the
of 3.5 tons, 4-wheel drive and with technology from Mobile market, ORF together with the
excellent heating and climate Viewpoint was integrated; a company SATCOM invented a
control. (Austria’s geography can special antenna configuration new product for the vehicles.
lead to some extreme weather had to be invented for stationary The last of the ten new units
conditions!) The units should also and mobile use. To cover the was delivered at the end of
have a fully self-contained battery needs of video journalism, 2018, and they have been a huge
operation for over four hours. clean switching between up to success. ORF can even avoid
The new vehicles needed to three sources is guaranteed. renewing at least three dedicated
offer three working positions, and Video recording, editing and video SNG vehicles, as the
it was specified that operation for playback is done with an Adobe Mobile Viewpoint pack combined
editing of audio and video and Premiere Pro workstation, while with Viprinet offers a CNG/Ka-
transmission could be handled by a second workstation with a Band solution comparable to a
just one driver/technician. DIGAS software stack is available traditional large scale Ku-Band
The media contribution and for radio journalists. Great dish. Each IPMNG vehicle cost
data transport layer was specified effort was put into ensuring EUR 300,000 and the overall
savings compared to a traditional
renewal were significant.
In the course of the project,
considerable know-how was
gained by ORF’s project manager
Christian Knoll and this will prove
valuable when applied to future
projects.
The ORF IPMNG project was
shortlisted for the 2019 EBU
The complete fleet was delivered by the end of 2018; right, the innovative Stage Box. Technology & Innovation Award.
tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019 7
Riding the innovation waves in
content production
BROADCASTERS ARE SOMETIMES COMPARED – UNFAVOURABLY – TO NEW MEDIA
PROVIDERS WHEN IT COMES TO INNOVATION. BUT, SAYS HANS HOFFMANN (EBU), THERE IS
PLENTY OF EVIDENCE THAT PSM ARE THE NEW INNOVATORS.
It’s an easy cliché to fall back
on: public service broadcasters
are like “supertankers”, slow to
react and cumbersome to turn
around. And perhaps there was
some truth in it in the past – the
innovation cycles of the traditional
broadcast industry were closely
coupled to the rhythms of the Multiple strands
broadcast engineering vendors, are coming
where change did not come together to
quickly. We’re playing to a new weave a new
kind of PSM
rhythm now.
organization, far
In recent years, the wider removed from
ICT industry, and in particular the supertankers
the FAANG companies, have of the past.
discovered “media” as a business.
As they’ve started to compete, They also, of course, collaborate Members will see positive impacts
both for audiences and with with “big tech” where it makes more quickly in B2B applications
the equipment vendors, the sense to do so. related to content production.
traditional rhythms of innovation The innovation that today From newsgathering and PSME to
and reinvestment cycles for characterizes PSM has been wireless studio applications and
broadcast companies have triggered by several new media campus environments, 5G
broken. technologies that are at different could be an enabling technology
stages of readiness for adoption that brings great benefit to
AUDIENCE-CENTRED and integration into workflows. makers. Here, too, the EBU has a
Europe’s public service media Since these technologies often group working to find the optimal
(PSM) organizations have, have strong interdependencies, solutions.
for the most part, embraced broadcasters find themselves These are only the broad
these changes, putting digital dealing with several transitions in strokes, with each area involving
at the heart of their corporate parallel. multiple strands that all come
strategies and moving towards The migration to live IP together to weave a new kind of
a new portfolio of services and and microservices-based PSM organization, far removed
programming where the audience infrastructures; the evolution from the supertankers of the past.
is the primary focus for all actions. towards UHD and enhanced EBU Members have always been
Through communities like New audiovisual quality; the strongly focused on creating
Builders and Implementing Open automation of processes, often stories and getting content
Innovation, the EBU is helping to using AI and machine learning, to their audiences. The new
capture and share the new best making new tools available technologies that are available
practises that are crystalizing to journalists, and all usually today are core innovation-
along with these new rhythms. relying heavily on (meta)data: enablers for programme
Today’s PSM operate with in engaging with these shifts, production. Under the EBU
multidisciplinary teams, bringing broadcasters are riding the umbrella, EBU Members and
technologists and creatives technology waves. And there are their R&D centres come together
together, with a clear focus on the related EBU initiatives in place more effectively as a powerful
needs of the end user, whether to maximize the benefits of customer base, influencing
internal or the audience itself (for collaboration and sharing. industry, driving innovation and
new content and services). Digital mastering technology transitions.
skillsets have become crucial, 5G IN CONTENT PRODUCTION Find the EBU groups and
where EBU Members are now Much hope has been placed in communities that can help you
competing directly with the big 5G as a possible revolutionizing to get the most from media
technology companies to hire force in media distribution in technology innovation.
experts in IP, data science, AI, etc. future, but it is possible that EBU See: tech.ebu.ch/ourwork
8 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019
Broadcasters respond to the rise
of Netflix et al
WHILE THE BUSINESS OF BROADCASTING HAS BECOME MORE CHALLENGING, SOLUTIONS
FROM HBBTV AND DVB CAN FORM THE BASIS OF A FIGHTBACK, SAYS THE EBU’S PETER
MACAVOCK.
The rise of global subscription generating a fraction of the help address EBU Member
video-on-demand (SVOD) revenue that linear television challenges. Linear distribution
players has changed the media advertising generated, there is is simple: use DVB. Online
landscape almost beyond a strong incentive to maximize distribution, on the other hand,
recognition. Households have the linear proposition despite is a costly and highly complex
multiple cheap subscriptions the dwindling advertising pie. nightmare.
and linear television viewing Nevertheless, any broadcaster HbbTV is a key enabling
competes with high quality, must have a strong hybrid/ technology deployed in most
well-funded, personalized OTT proposition to survive in of the TV sets sold in Europe.
content available on any device, the future. As one commercial There are still some territories
anywhere. So that’s it. Game broadcaster told me, “the where users are not able
over? Not quite. business is changing, becoming to switch the features on in
Public service media in Europe harder with tighter margins, but their devices, but the hope is
and beyond are universally you can’t hold back the tide”. that compelling broadcaster
suffering from reduced In the EBU, we recognize the applications will encourage
budgets. Linear television is digital shift that places a greater enabling these features by
how their product has reached emphasis on IP distribution of default. We have seen that
audiences for decades, using personalized media content to coordinated national approaches
technology and a regulatory multiple devices. That shift sees are helping to convince the
regime ideally suited to their a world that was linear moving whole industry of the value
model. Commercial and pay- to hybrid distribution of IP- of HbbTV and reducing the
TV operators have built very based services. Broadcasters divergence between different
successful businesses around are preparing for the shift by national implementations.
the simple proposition of linear strengthening their online
television. presence, blending their linear THE PROMISE OF DVB-I
The pay-TV operators proposition into a hybrid one on Perhaps the biggest change
in particular, faced with TV sets, and working with the has been in the DVB Project.
competition from OTT, have had regulatory community to adapt DVB-I is the talk of the industry,
to quickly adapt their models the rules to take account of seeking to bring a linear
to encompass a personalized, these changes. television experience to internet-
multi-device approach, bundled To prepare technically, the connected devices, including
with broadband access in some EBU is active in the DVB Project TV sets. The traditional digital
cases. These propositions and HbbTV in particular, to television service concept based
are based on a combination around an MPEG Transport
of high-speed broadband, Stream, with DVB’s Service
linear broadcast and the use Information helping TV sets
of local storage to give autotune and display
an impression of instant programme guides, is
access to media services. being extended into the
This hybrid approach hybrid and OTT space. The
means that the virtual specifications will start to
media pipe into a pay- appear towards the end
TV home is equivalent of the year, with a first
to a constant 100Mbit/s big demonstration of the
or higher, even if the concept at IBC2019 (Stand
broadband connection 1.B71).
alone isn’t yet capable of Tomorrow’s OTT world
sustaining these speeds. will be different to today’s.
The global SVOD players
HOLD BACK THE TIDE? won’t have it all their own
Commercial television Spain’s LOVEStv: an example of the way, and a richer media
faces a more difficult problem. coordinated national approaches that experience will result for the
With online advertising prove the value of HbbTV. benefit of all consumers.
tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019 9
Can we do UHD with HD lenses?
ONGOING TESTS AT EBU ASSOCIATE MEMBER CBC/RADIO-CANADA SHOW THAT DECIDING
WHICH LENSES TO USE FOR UHD PRODUCTION IS FAR FROM STRAIGHTFORWARD, WRITES
MEDIA PRODUCTION ARCHITECT PIERRE HUGUES ROUTHIER.
In anticipation of the migration a) and b) above through the The resolution of the UHD
to higher spatial resolutions entire focal range of the lens. lens varied significantly in the
and high dynamic range (HDR), centre of the image depending
the CBC has undergone a TESTING THE UHD LENS on the camera model. The
programme of rigorous training Our first step was to characterize studio camera offered a
and testing, in a collaborative the UHD lens, in order to have lower resolution, averaging
effort between its Architecture a benchmark against which we approximately 1640 pixels of
and Strategic Development could compare our HD inventory. vertical resolution, which is
group and the supervising For this purpose, we procured far below the 2160 lines of the
technicians of its Production a “general purpose” ENG zoom UHD format. The sports camera
group. lens, ranging from 8 to 75 mm. fared better with the same lens,
One of the challenges we were For objective testing, we used averaging 1940 lines in its centre.
asked to solve was whether Image Engineering’s IQ analyzer However, resolution fell off in
the vast pool of HD zoom and charts, namely the 42_16x9_ a similar fashion to the other
lenses that the corporation V2 (fig. 1) and the TE-251 (fig. camera at the edges, to around
owns could be reused in UHD. 2), which automatically measure 1500 pixels of vertical resolution.
In an ideal scenario, the CBC resolution and chromatic In order to capture native
could transition progressively aberration on each camera. resolution, we turned off the
towards UHD through a gradual
replacement of lenses when they
reach the end of their service
life, instead of disposing of an
inventory that is still in working
order.
In order to settle the question,
we have assembled a pool of
our most common box and
ENG zoom lenses for testing
and procured a 4K/UHD lens as
a benchmark. The lenses were
tested on two different models
of UHD cameras using the same
sensor (3-CMOS, 2/3” imagers).
One camera was configured
for studio use and one was
optimized for sports and exterior
applications. Figure 1. Chart 42 16X9 Version 2 used for resolution tests
What makes a good UHD zoom
lens? Answering that question
could take an entire book, or at
least lead to very heated debates.
In the context of broadcast,
we focused on three technical
attributes we think a lens should
possess:
a) The capability of maintaining
UHD resolution, from the
centre to the edges of the
frame (resolution)
b) The capability of maintaining
the primary colours (red,
green and blue) aligned
within one pixel (chromatic
aberration)
c) The capability of maintaining Figure 2. TE-251 Chart used for chromatic aberration tests
10 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019Figure 3. Softness in native as well as requested a number
resolution with the UHD lens of other UHD/4K lenses to
determine if this “softness” is
systematic or not (which will be
part of a second round of tests in
the near future).
We tested six different HD
zoom lenses, ranging from ultra-
wide ENG to 60X Box lens, for
resolution and colour aberration.
Starting with resolution, we
found sharper images with our
HD 25X and 60X box lenses;
this is not so surprising when
image detail enhancement circuit we consider the size and cost of
of the sports camera. Once such optics.
we turned it on and set it to It is also not surprising, at the Supervising technicians Eric Laflamme
the manufacturer’s preset, the other end of the spectrum, to (left) and Benoit Fortin (right) setting
up a UHD camera.
perceived resolution increased find that the lowest resolution
beyond the actual capacity of out of centre was measured on
the 2160p sensor, delivering our widest lenses, making them
more than 2200 pixels of too soft for UHD production.
vertical resolution. Our analysis The more recent HD ENG lenses we should look for more precise
showed that this is because the offered performances that were lenses, which will probably be
manufacturer’s preset triggers close to the 4K lens, especially significantly more expensive.
signal processing aimed at in the wider focal length range, If this level of quality is the
improving edge sharpness, which decreasing in resolution sharply best that can be achieved for
gives the illusion of resolution; it at 40mm and beyond. the moment, then we certainly
does not translate to an actual For chromatic aberration, the should reuse some of our HD
increase in resolution, and more recent lenses equipped lenses and limit our purchase of
potentially leads to unsightly with aberration compensation UHD lenses until such time as
artifacts like aliasing. fared much better than the older better optics reach the market.
So, to our surprise, the 4K models which are not, even the Looking at resolution and
lens we evaluated did not offer high quality box lenses. Once chromatic aberration, many of
enough resolution to provide again, we found our HD wide lens our HD lenses offer performances
full UHD and we ended up with a to be the worst in this category that are comparable and
somewhat soft image (fig. 3). (fig. 4). sometimes superior to the
From a chromatic aberration benchmark 4K/UHD lens. None
point of view, the lens is of the lenses offer flawless
equipped with an automatic images in UHD, but then neither
compensation system, which did the “true” UHD one.
enables compatible cameras By carefully selecting from
(both of our models were) to our inventory of HD lenses
correct chromatic aberration depending on the criticality
up to a certain point. Our tests of certain aspects in different
indicated that on average, the productions (composition, light
chromatic aberration (shift levels, colours, etc…), we should
between GREEN and RED, and be able to start producing a
shift between GREEN and BLUE) limited amount of UHD content.
is below one pixel for both Figure 4. Extreme chromatic It will require technical expertise
models of cameras, through the aberration on an HD wide ENG lens (to characterize lenses and
entire focal range, an acceptable put them in the most favorable
level of quality for UHD. PRODUCING UHD conditions) at first, but as new
The 4K zoom lens we tested and better UHD lenses reach
AND THE HD LENSES? was not able to achieve full the market, we should be able
Since the 4K lens did not offer UHD resolution, which is a major to gradually integrate the next
a full UHD level of resolution, issue. Even if we upgrade our generation of lenses to our
maybe our HD lenses could offer cameras to UHD, we will not workflow and make high quality
a comparable performance in achieve it fully – we would deliver UHD production more accessible,
UHD. We sampled a number a resolution that is between not unlike the approach used
of our HD lenses to determine Full HD and UHD. If we do not during the transition from SD to
whether this is the case or not, accept this level of quality, then HD.
tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019 11Preparing the way for 2020+ UHD
services
THE EBU HAS PUBLISHED NEW GUIDANCE ON WHICH UHD FEATURES THE NEXT
GENERATION OF TV DISPLAYS ARE LIKELY TO SUPPORT. FRANS DE JONG PROVIDES THIS
OVERVIEW.
With the growing support for often made at a national level.
new image and audio formats Support for stereo, 5.1 and at least
in consumer electronics (CE) one NGA system is the minimum
devices and the steadily growing that broadcasters will be able to
interest of media organizations TECH 3372 rely on.
to provide services with higher
technical quality (often as part OTT SERVICES
of the planned replacement For OTT delivery the keywords
cycle of production equipment), UHD / HDR SERVICE in the new document are MPEG-
PARAMETERS
a key question is which service DASH and HbbTV. For the latter,
parameters actually work in version 1.5.1 is the minimum
practice. Version 1.0
recommended version to use, as
The freshly published EBU that guarantees HDR support.
Tech 3372 UHD/HDR Service For adaptive streaming a word of
Parameters answers this caution is included to make sure
question. It provides a basic the dynamic range system and
list of the formats/options that colour gamuts are not changed
broadcasters can expect CE Geneva between different resolutions, to
devices sold from 2020+ will August 2019
maintain graceful degradation in
support. The publication is the case of bandwidth limitations.
result of a substantial series of With the publication of
conversations between EBU optimal HFR approach (see page EBU Tech 3372, the EBU has
Members and CE equipment 13). provided basic guidance for
manufacturers. Members wishing to deploy
NGA INCLUDED new services. For an individual
HDR & WCG; NO HFR Audio is regarded as an essential media organization, the choice of
EBU Tech 3372 focuses on new part of new UHD services, but it distribution channel and timetable
UHD services that feature at least has also been the hardest part for starting will, of course, depend
1080p resolution, High Dynamic on which to reach consensus. a lot on the market share of
Range (HDR) and Wide Colour DVB has standardized three UHD/HDR/NGA supporting CE
Gamut (WCG). On the HDR side, different NGA systems. The devices in the country concerned.
both HLG10 and PQ-10/HDR10 EBU has expressed the desire The latter can be expected to
are listed as suitable choices. Tech to see support for multiple NGA grow substantially from 2020
3372 does not assume a precise systems (see EBU R 151), while CE onwards, but it may still be some
quality for the CE display’s manufacturers prefer to reduce years before UHD/HDR services
resolution and displayable the options to save on (licensing) become plentiful, given an
colour volume. This is because costs, especially as the roadmaps average television replacement
market players are competing for NGA adoption are still cycle of eight years and the need
on these aspects, using different maturing. This is the reason why for new production equipment.
technologies. This makes it very the text of EBU Tech 3372 leaves
difficult to capture qualitative open the choice of which NGA For more details, see:
differences in a simple value. codec to use. The ultimate choice tech.ebu.ch/publications/
The frame rates listed are 25 for which NGA system to use is tech3372
and 50 fps. These are the most
commonly used in Europe. The
case for High Frame Rate (HFR)
was discussed, but it is clear that
new CE devices typically will not “With the publication of EBU Tech 3372,
support more than 50/60 frames
per second and that broadcasters the EBU has provided basic guidance for
are not keen to provide HFR
services in the short term. In any
Members wishing to deploy new
case, the jury is still out on the services.”
12 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019High Frame Rate: is it worth it?
RECENT SUBJECTIVE TESTS CARRIED OUT BY THE EBU AND IRT INDICATE THAT THE PATH
TO HIGH FRAME RATES IS NOT YET CLEAR, AS DAGMAR DRIESNACK (IRT) REPORTS.
Sending 100 (progressive) frames
per second instead of 50 can EBU Members can access
a video of a presentation
improve the quality experienced
on this topic by Dagmar
by viewers up to 1.5 points on Driesnack (IRT) at:
the 5-point ITU-R BT.500 quality https://tech.ebu.ch/
scale. This was the main result ta2019
from the subjective evaluations
the EBU and IRT organized at the
beginning of the year during PTS
2019. Taking into account that
many broadcasters today still use
interlaced rather than progressive
scanning and distribute only 25
frames per second, the actual
quality increase of moving to
100p delivery can be expected to
be even larger. But that’s not the this indeed can have a large One answer is that far from all
whole story. influence on the resulting quality. displays in the market are higher-
During the EBU BroadThinking end models. So, “mileage will
FAKE FRAMES 2019 conference, 20 participants vary”.
The first tests – deliberately – were asked to score the same
did not consider display-side test sequences that were used for HFR SWEET SPOT
processing. Higher-end televisions the first round of evaluations, but Another consideration is that the
often come with some form of this time the display was allowed test results are valid for (almost
motion-compensated frame to try to improve the image (i.e. non-available) 100 Hz consumer
interpolation (MCFI), which MCFI was turned on). As Figure market displays, while High Frame
means that the device basically 1 illustrates, this boosted the Rate (HFR) distribution may
“invents” additional frames to perceived quality of the content. only really become attractive
smooth motion portrayal. So, 50p Good MCFI thus partly weakens once models capable of 200
broadcasts could be upconverted the case for transmitting at higher Hz become available. 100p
on the receiving end to “fake frame rates. In other words: why broadcasts (with 50% shutter)
100p”. A second series of EBU broadcast more frames if the could then be upconverted in
tests held in spring showed that display can create them already? the display (using MCFI) to really
good 200 Hz images. That may
be the most efficient use of both
bandwidth and intelligence on the
receiver side.
In any case it is too early
for HFR production: there
are virtually no displays
from consumer electronics
manufacturers, nor on the
production side; the cost penalty
for originating in (especially live)
HFR is high; and the content
for which it can be expected to
be relevant is relatively niche.
Before all of this changes we
will first witness a step in quality
improvement by moving from
legacy 25i to 50p. Actually, some
Figure 1. The positive influence of MCFI is reflected in the higher values of the people call 50p HFR…
blue points compared to the red ones. The improvement that can be obtained
seems to be larger for material with a 50% shutter, which makes sense as these
shuttered images can be expected to be sharper (with less motion blur), and thus For more details, see:
better suited to calculate new frames from. tech.ebu.ch/publications/tr050
tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019 13Accelerating live content publication to
on-demand platforms at ITV
ANDREW PEARSON, ITV SENIOR SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT, EXPLAINS HOW A PARTNERSHIP
WITH A CLOUD-BASED PLATFORM HAS ACCELERATED DELIVERY OF LIVE CONTENT TO ITS
OTT CATCH-UP SERVICE AND TO VOD DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS.
Live content makes up a big part
of ITV’s content offering in the
UK. As an integrated producer-
broadcaster, the challenge has
always been to deliver live and
near-to-live content to our
catch-up services as quickly as
possible after transmission on our
broadcast channels.
So last year we set about
accelerating the delivery of hit
Sections of live content with non-
shows like The Voice, Britain’s
compliant material can be marked
Got Talent and Love Island to for removal in the cloud.
our catch-up services. In the
UK we deliver catch-up content accuracy, lip sync and frame rate. to our teams across the UK
through our ad-funded OTT The cloud solution has been and globally. Comprehensive
service, the ITV Hub, which is integrated into ITV’s existing workflow messaging gives them
available on multiple platforms, content distribution workflows new insights too, into the flow
through pay providers Sky and to make the end-to-end process of content through the catch-up
Virgin Media and through direct seamless and error-free. As part process.
content deals with the likes of of the workflow a call is made to a As you’d expect of an innovative
Samsung, Amazon Fire TV and new ITV microservice for each and solution of this complexity,
Google Chromecast. We also every job, which is synchronized the implementation was not
have ITV Hub+, where subscribers with our rights catalogue. straightforward. To design and
have access to ad-free catch-up operate the service required the
content and can download it too. QUALITY coordinated effort of a number
We wanted to modernize our Quality is assured through capture of ITV teams across multiple
existing in-house process that at a high bit rate of 100 Mbps, locations and M2A Media. ITV
converts live programmes into with dual, diverse live streams provided project management,
multiple catch-up assets. We to ensure resilience. This enables architecture, content processing,
wanted to improve the time it transcoding into multiple file networks and content operations
takes to publish those assets, formats, with metadata added to expertise, while M2A brought their
simplifying the legacy multi-step indicate where automatic ad- cloud architecture skills and video
workflow and automating capture insertion can take place. expertise to the project.
and transcode. On occasions, live programmes The results have been very
need minor edits for compliance positive: we can now get our live
SPEED reasons, which can cause and near-to-live content onto the
Speed and quality of delivery are significant delays to the delivery ITV Hub and to our distribution
priorities for us and we partnered of live catch-up assets. We partners far faster than we’ve ever
with M2A Media, a cloud addressed this challenge with done before. This means fans of
transcode and delivery platform, compliance editing in the cloud. our hit live shows can now catch
to achieve our aim of delivering This allows sections of live content up on their favourite programmes
live catch-up assets no later than with non-compliant material, to be on the platform they want, at the
10 minutes after the transmission marked for removal in the cloud, time they want to watch.
of the live programmes on our avoiding the time-consuming ITV innovation continues and we
broadcast channels. process of downloading the are planning to speak at several
To achieve this we worked with content locally to enable an edit major conferences including
M2A Media to develop a highly to take place. IBC2019. Come and meet us to
complex solution where live For ITV’s content distribution learn more.
content is captured in the cloud, team, a browser-based cloud The ITV cloud-based VOD
then segmented, transcoded edit console gives access from content delivery project was
and joined into multiple output any connected location, which shortlisted for the 2019 EBU
formats, while maintaining frame brings operational flexibility Technology & Innovation Award.
14 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019Television viewing stable, except
among young people
THE LATEST REPORTS FROM THE EBU’S MEDIA INTELLIGENCE SERVICE CAPTURE KEY
AUDIENCE TRENDS FOR TELEVISION AND RADIO MARKETS ACROSS EUROPE. FRANCESCA
CIMINO SHARES SOME TELEVISION TRENDS.
Television and radio remain central to European
citizens’ lives and represent the bulk of their media DOWNLOAD THE REPORTS
consumption. They also have well-established These findings along with an overview of
measurement systems, which help researchers public service media’s television and radio
analyse trends in audience behaviour. In this article, performance can be found in the Audience
we’ll look at the latest figures regarding television Trends: Television 2019 and Audience Trends:
viewing. Radio 2019 reports on the EBU Media
Television continues to play an important role for Intelligence Publications library at: www.ebu.ch/
European citizens. On average they spent 3 hours mis.
35 minutes watching television per day in 2018, with Publicly accessible versions of the reports
85% tuning in every week. Over the past five years, and Infographics are available alongside the full
there have been minor declines in time spent (down reports, which are available exclusively to EBU
2 minutes) and weekly reach (down 2.7 percentage Members.
points) across the 44 markets with available data.
years ago to 66% in 2018, indicating that fewer
COMPETITION FOR YOUTH young people are watching traditional broadcast
Given the increased competition for the audience’s television, which is captured by the official TAM
attention from new content and platform providers, systems. For now, it remains a challenge for the
the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime, which are audience measurement industry to fully capture
not currently measured by the official Television and integrate the viewing of on-demand platforms,
Audience Measurement (TAM) systems, it is not be it broadcaster content or global players.
surprising that the trend among youth is very That said, when young people do choose to watch
different. traditional television, the majority is still live viewing,
European youth spent on average 1 hour 40 at 89% in 2018. This is comparable to the all-citizen
minutes watching television each day in 2018, consumption pattern of 91% live viewing. Non-live
a notable decrease of 26 minutes over the past viewing in the national TAM systems encompasses
five years. The average weekly reach for youth time-shifted viewing of broadcast content up to
audiences is also down significantly, from 75% five seven days after the live broadcast.
Television viewing time ((Source: EBU, based on Eurodata TV worldwide and data from Members and relevant partners)
tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019 158K – where does the balance of
the arguments lie?
8K IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE AGENDA FOR MOST BROADCASTERS TODAY. NEVERTHELESS,
SAYS DAVID WOOD, IT’S WORTH TRYING TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE TOPIC.
8K can be a complex issue for matrix of “degree of disruption”
broadcasters and broadband against “degree of benefit”. If there
content providers. Sometimes it is a low degree of disruption and
could seem like we are all looking high degree of benefit you know
for a light switch in a darkened you are on to a winner. This is
room, with boxes on the floor that possibly why app-based
you could trip over approaches do so well. If you have
On the one hand, surely no one a high degree of disruption and a
can stop the tide from coming in? low degree of benefit your chances
The technical quality of television of success are slimmer. So what
has steadily risen over time for the about 8K?
last 80 years. Does it make sense to One of the complexities of 8K is
think the trend would stop now? that it is not obvious exactly where
Coupled with that, TV set makers it would lie on the matrix. Users will
claim they can make 8K TV sets for need a new TV, and programme
the same price as the 4K TV sets. makers will need new production
The public seems always willing to equipment if they are to offer
buy something better than they native 8K content, so it has to be
have now. 8K content, though rare, somewhere in the high disruption
can be found. Our Japanese row. But where it will lie on the
colleagues argue that 8K will be the degree of benefit axis? What this
Next Big Thing, and in the past they could mean in terms of slow or fast
were right with their predictions of take-up is more difficult to say.
the success of HDTV and the failure
of broadcast 3DTV. CLEANER WINDOWS
One thing we can be sure is that 8K
COSTLY UPGRADE TV sets will become available and
But, on the other hand, for a be affordable in the coming years.
broadcaster or content provider, They will be used for upscaling the
the economics have to balance. content that is available at lower
Should you spend your precious, resolutions. Having an 8K display is
finite, funds on raising image rather like cleaning the window. If
quality, and on much higher what appears behind the window is
transmission bandwidths, when an image that is free of artefacts/
much of the audience may hardly impairments (other than lower
notice? Why would broadcasters resolution), the 8K display pictures
spend a fortune upgrading their will look better than they would
“Should you infrastructure, using equipment with a display at their lower native
very little of which is available resolution. But if the source pictures
spend your today, and not perfect 8K at that? do have artifacts/impairments, the
precious, finite, Broadcasters often have to live with viewer may be able to notice them
a ten-year replacement cycle for more than he or she would with a
funds on raising production equipment. To cap it all, native display. The window has
image quality, and we have only just started thinking been cleaned. Either way,
about and implementing 4K. Are broadcasters and broadband
on much higher we and the public supposed to content providers’ viewers will be
transmission throw all that investment away? affected by the use of 8K displays.
Can we find any management It is said that management is the
bandwidths, tools to help find the light switch? art of making decisions without
when much of Armchair managers say that if you having all the information you need,
can find the right two-by-two so we must try to find the light
the audience may matrix, you understand the switch before we trip over the
hardly notice it?” problem. The simplest tool is a boxes.
16 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019BNE: a common voice for
PARTNER PROFILES
broadcast network operators broadcast networks
europe
broadcas
europe
IN THE PARTNER PROFILES SERIES, WE INVITE ORGANIZATIONS WITH WHICH THE EBU
COLLABORATES ON TECHNOLOGY-RELATED MATTERS TO INTRODUCE THEIR MISSION AND CMYK
PRIORITIES. LARS BACKLUND PROVIDES THIS PROFILE OF BNE.
Broadcast Networks Europe
Lars Backlund, Secretary
(BNE) was created in 2010 with General
broadcast networks
of Broadcast
broadcas
europe europe
the purpose of securing long- Networks Europe
term business opportunities for
its members and developing a MONO
common voice and lobbying
platform for terrestrial broadcast
network operators in Europe.
It currently has 16 members
with operations in 19 European broadcast networks
europe
broadcas
europe
countries. It is based in Brussels.
BNE works closely with key
relevant European and global MONO
institutions, including the EU
and the ITU, and with important
stakeholders such as the EBU.
We participate in international
technical organizations –
including CEPT, DVB, ETSI and
3GPP – where common rules,
standards, policies and new
technologies are defined and Other areas of equal Over time, DTT networks
developed. importance include new EU have continually embraced
BNE is recognized as a strong telecoms and audiovisual technology improvements and
voice internationally, defending legislation. New technologies migrated to more efficient
business opportunities and could offer new business modulation and compression
safeguarding the availability of opportunities using existing techniques. This has allowed
suitable and sufficient frequency terrestrial broadcast network DTT to remain the leading
spectrum for terrestrial infrastructure. This includes distribution platform in Europe,
broadcasting services – mainly the growth of digital radio offering more channels,
for digital terrestrial television broadcasting, internet of things, improved image quality, new
(DTT) but also for radio. In this and the capability of BNE audio formats and increased
context, BNE contributed to members to offer broadcast interactivity. At the same time,
the EU decision granting access customers a broad range of new and improved services are
to the sub-700 MHz band for media services. This could delivered in 30% less spectrum
terrestrial broadcasting until at include additional 5G-based following the clearances of the
least 2030. services to reach mobile devices 800 MHz and 700 MHz bands.
Looking ahead, there will and cars. Based on DVB standards,
be further opportunities BNE does not act alone but DTT is a spectacular European
and continuing challenges as part of a larger dynamic success. DTT is firmly
where revised legislation and ecosystem, in close cooperation established in practically all
international agreements may with a substantial network European countries serving
affect the audiovisual sector. of other associations and primary or secondary TV sets
Of particular interest for BNE organizations. We host the in almost 50% of European
members is securing longer- Wider Spectrum Group (WSG), households. DTT secures
term availability of spectrum for with wide participation from European values and underpins
terrestrial broadcasting beyond stakeholders in the European the content production and
2030. To this end, BNE is cultural and creative sectors. audiovisual industry. Terrestrial
actively engaged in discussions, The WSG has played a central broadcasting of television and
preparations and studies role in raising awareness of how radio will remain as one of the
ahead of the forthcoming ITU public service media support most important distribution
World Radiocommunication European content production platforms for years to come.
Conference. and culture.
tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019 17Innovative ideas for PSM on voice
interfaces
AN INTERACTIVE ASSISTANT TO KEEP FAMILIES ENTERTAINED ON LONG JOURNEYS WAS
THE WINNING PITCH AT A RECENT VOX GROUP HACKATHON, WRITES THE EBU’S BEN POOR.
VOX hackathon at VRT, June 2019 EBU VOX GROUP
Formed in 2017 and now with
over 100 participants from
across the EBU membership,
the VOX group coordinates
activities related to Smart
Speakers and voice-controlled
digital assistants. The group
shares best practice, market
intelligence, insights, roadmaps
and example code, with the
common goal of reaching and
retaining audiences on these
emerging platforms. The VOX
group also runs workshops and
hackathons, as well as visits to
platform and hardware vendors
ALINA CRISTEA
to improve collaboration
between industry and public
service media.
www.ebu.ch/groups/vox
Smart speakers, voice control At the start of the hackathon, solution to an existing problem?
and digital assistants were at the participants were encouraged • Implementation – how much
heart of a hands-on innovation to form teams with those from of the demonstration was
workshop hosted by VRT in other EBU Members. Their ideas tangible?
Brussels last June. The position were then shared and shaped • Presentation – How engaging
of public service media in with the help of facilitators from was the final presentation?
such a rapidly evolving area is VRT Innovation (see opposite). The judges were impressed with
important, with EBU Members Using techniques such as the six- the strength of all of the projects
having an influential role in step storyboard, empathy maps, and with the general standard of
shaping and influencing how personas, innovation battlefields, work.
audiences will consume content future scans and the business The overall winner was a team
on new platforms. model canvas, ideas were tested, drawn from BBC, VRT and
The second VOX Group improved and made more user- Yle. The proposal, called The
hackathon (following last focused. Passenger, was an interactive
year’s edition at NRK in Oslo) assistant that would help to
brought together more than 30 PITCH & PIZZA inform, educate and entertain
people from ten EBU Members Once refined, each team audiences in cars on long
in an environment designed presented their idea as a pitch journeys. Their presentation
to facilitate innovation and to the others before they started gave the example of a family
collaboration. their “hacking”. Each team then car journey to Scotland,
Participants were encouraged continued working into the accompanied by the historical
to bring along their own evening, assisted by pizza and figure Mary, Queen of Scots.
ideas around voice interfaces, drinks, resuming early the next She would pose questions,
specifically relating to themes day. give facts and be an additional
such as automotive applications, The second day of the event passenger in the car. The judges
improving content accessibility ended with each team giving a remarked that it was something
and the enhancement of demonstration of their idea to a that could be deployed now and
storytelling and drama content. panel of three judges. The judges that it showed strong potential
One other key theme was smart assessed the demonstrations on for showcasing public service
speakers and video, i.e. those three criteria: content and opportunities
that have displays or are used for • Innovation – how imaginative for partnerships with other
interacting with connected TVs. was the idea? Was it a new organizations.
18 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | September 2019You can also read
